Clang!!!
A piercing metallic clang resounded.
At the critical moment when Wakuraba attacked, Shinichi swiftly raised his Nichirin Blade, blocking the two giant shuriken.
"This brat!" Wakuraba shocked.
How could he still have the strength to resist after being hit by its Blood Demon Art: Withered Blood Poison?
While still reeling from astonishment, Wakuraba suddenly felt an intense sense of danger.
Without thinking, he immediately abandoned the two giant shuriken and rapidly retreated.
But it was already too late.
"Forest Breathing, Fifth Form: Soaring Bamboo Slash!"
A verdant slash, rising from below like soaring bamboo, instantly cleaved through half of Wakuraba chest.
Foul demon blood and shattered innards spilled uncontrollably from the massive wound as Wakuraba let out a wretched howl, his body sent flying like a withered leaf.
Shinichi spat out a mouthful of black blood, wiping the stain from his lips with his sleeve as he disdainfully eyed the severely wounded Wakuraba in the distance.
"Just a minor poison, nothing worth mentioning. Did you really think I knew nothing about you? Did you think I wouldn't know you use poison?"
"Cough, cough... brat, you really... piss me off!!" Wakuraba staggered to his feet, his orange-yellow eyes glaring at Shinichi.
Indeed, Shinichi face now bore a mocking expression, showing no signs of poisoning.
So, he had been tricked by this brat?!
Overwhelming humiliation surged through Wakuraba as the shattered wound on his chest writhed violently.
The arm Shinichi had severed earlier regenerated completely.
"I'm angry, brat. Prepare to face my wrath!" Wakuraba snarled at Shinichi.
Then, under Shinichi gaze, he suddenly raised his newly grown arm and plunged it deep into his own writhing chest.
His sharp orange claws pierced its own heart, injecting a frenzied toxin directly into it.
"Blood Demon Art: Raging Blood Poison!"
Moments later, Wakuraba body swayed unsteadily as if drunk.
Suddenly—his frame shuddered violently.
BOOM!
Muscles bulged explosively across his body, veins protruding grotesquely beneath his exposed skin, while his fangs elongated further.
In mere moments, Wakuraba transformed from a scrawny Demon into a hulking monstrosity two to three times Shinichi size.
His original orange-yellow eyes shrank to pinpricks, leaving only bloodshot whites dominating its sockets.
BOOM! BOOM!
Fists the size of Shinichi head hammered the ground twice as the enraged Wakuraba glared viciously.
"Brat! I'll pound you into mincemeat and drink you down sip by sip, hahahaha!"
With a thunderous crash, the berserk Wakuraba charged at Shinichi like a rampaging bull.
Raising his dual-colored Nichirin Blade, Shinichi heterochromatic eyes remained unshaken.
"DIEEE!!" Wakuraba roared, swinging his massive fist at Shinichi head as he closed in.
Shinichi stood his ground fearlessly.
Bring it on! Who's afraid of who?
"Forest Breathing, First Form: Iron Birch Slash!"
A thick verdant slash met Wakuraba fist head-on!
Fist met blade, the tremendous impact sending shockwaves through the temple, stirring up a whirlwind of fallen leaves.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
The sound of collisions rang out incessantly as Shinichi and Wakuraba engaged in a frenzied all-out assault, the flashes of the Nichirin Blade clashing repeatedly with Wakuraba fists.
"GET LOST!" Shinichi roared, swinging his blade to cleave through Wakuraba fist in an instant.
Seizing the opportunity, he swiftly drew the short sword Mori no Ryuu from his waist and drove it deep into Wakuraba arm, pinning it to the ground.
"Let go!!" Wakuraba howled, but for the moment, he couldn't break free from the Nichirin Blade restraint.
Taking advantage of the opening, Shinichi raised his Nichirin Blade high.
A surge of vibrant life force began gathering along the dual-colored blade as a ferocious, emerald-green dragon took shape.
Screech!
His deerskin boots scraped against the ground as the light in Shinichi left eye—gleaming emerald—flared intensely.
"Forest Breathing, Seventh Form: Soaring Wood Dragon—Slash!!"
Roar!!
The emerald dragon seemed to open its maw and bellow at Wakuraba before lunging straight for his neck.
Shinichi Nichirin Blade came down with devastating force!
"AHHHH!!" A sudden scream pierced the air—but it wasn't Wakuraba.
Instead, it came from a Demon Slayer Corps member nearby, whose cries grew even more agonized just as Shinichi was about to sever Wakuraba head.
The abrupt turn of events caused Shinichi momentum to falter.
The roaring emerald dragon slowly dissipated into the air, though his blade had already cut halfway through Wakuraba neck.
"Keheheh, why stop now? Go on, cut my head off! Brat! Let these little insects die with me!" Wakuraba snarled, his face twisted with malice.
Shinichi expression darkened.
Immediately activating his Whispering Forest Eye, he confirmed his suspicion—within each Demon Slayer body, a shadowy mass was voraciously draining their life force.
Blood Demon Art: Lingering Leaf Parasite!
Wakuraba trump card—using his own flesh as a medium to parasitize human. Though it had no significant effect otherwise, it ensured the host death alongside the demon.
In other words, if Shinichi killed Wakuraba the infected swordsmen would perish as well.
At first glance, the technique seemed useless, but Wakuraba had discovered it worked perfectly against human.
Unlike demons, humans were shackled by emotions and bonds.
Countless Demonslayer had fallen to this tactic, their hesitation over their comrades' lives exploited every time.
It never failed.
Faced with the lives of eight Demon Slayers, even Shinichi hesitated and in that moment of hesitation, Wakuraba suddenly surged forward, kicking Shinichi away with brutal force.
Thud!
His massive frame regained its footing as Wakuraba jeered.
"Pathetic humans! Bound by worthless emotions! Because of this, you'll always be nothing more than food for us demons!"
BOOM!!
Wakuraba didn't waste the opportunity, launching a relentless assault on the now-restrained Shinichi.
Forced to prioritize his comrades' survival, Shinichi could only defend passively.
Soon, he was overwhelmed—and every moment of his struggle was witnessed by the nearby Demon Slayers.
Bang!!
Caught off guard, Shinichi was struck in the chest by Wakuraba fist, instantly causing his chest to cave in.
A torrent of blood sprayed uncontrollably from his mouth.
Crack!
He barely managed to steady his swaying body with the support of his Nichirin Blade.
"Shinichi! Forget about us! Just kill that Demon!"
"Shinichi-kun! Even if it costs our lives, it's worth it to take down a Lower Moon!"
"Fight back, Shinichi!!"
"Stop defending!!"
.....
The weakened squad members screamed desperately at Shinichi.
Though they wanted to live, they refused to let their comrades die because of them.
Moreover, trading their lives for a Lower Moon was a worthy exchange!
"Kid! Your bones must be shattered by now, huh? Hehehe, just give up. I'll make it quick for you!" Wakuraba raised his sharp claws.
Shinichi furrowed his brow, one hand clutching his caved-in chest while the other tightened around his Nichirin Blade.
Shaking his head, he talk hoarsely "Don't dream about it. Today, the only one who'll die here is you! No one else will die—because that's what i say!"
"Forest Breathing: Ninth Form—Eternal Cycle!!"
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